Valentine's Day Giveaway! Personalized Self-Inking Address Stamp from Invitations by Dawn

I recently shared a review with you about our personalized address stamp, our first couple stamp as newlyweds, from Invitations by Dawn. From the moment our stamp arrived, I was taken with its elegance and unique design. Our stamp has already graced our wedding gift thank you notes, countless cards and letters to loved ones and prize mailings to giveaway winners on my Facebook page for The Southern Fried Bride. I have received so many compliments on our stamp. The sweetheart design is also a festive touch this time of year.

I have been so impressed with the ink's staying power and even coverage instead of hit-or-miss coverage that can be uneven or too light to be visible. I love how the stamp gives a precise imprint on the paper rather than stamps I have used that I call "moody" because they gave a good imprint sometimes but other times too much filler would imprint with the stamp on the paper and take away from the presentation on the paper. I love the crisp imprint of the design that this stamp model offers.

I love the fact that they offer so many designs to fit so many personalities and interests. Here are some of my favorites.

I love the elegance of the Fleur de Lys design.

Another favorite is the Modern Dots design:

Invitations by Dawn has graciously offered to sponsor a Valentine's Day Giveaway for my readers, and one of you will win a personalized self-inking address stamp of your choice (ARV $39.95)!

                VALENTINE'S DAY GIVEAWAY

Valentine's Day Giveaway Prize: The winner will receive a personalized self-inking address stamp of their choice (ARV $39.95) from Invitations by Dawn.

Mandatory Entry: Visit the "Invitations by Dawn" website and look through their assortment of self-inking address stamps here and leave me a comment below letting me know your favorite stamp design. Include your e-mail address in the comment where you can be contacted if you are chosen the winner.

Extra Entries: Post a separate comment if you complete any of the following extra entries.

* Become a fan of The Southern Fried Bride on Facebook by "liking" the page here then post a comment letting me know. If you are already a fan, let me know in your comment.

* Follow me on Twitter @SouthrnFriBride here then post a comment here telling me you did so.

* Tweet this giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to post the link to your tweet with your comment.

Entries will close on Monday, February 13 at 11:59 p.m. EST. A winner will be chosen by random number generator on Valentine's Day, Tuesday, February 14 and announced at 10:00 am EST. Good luck!

FTC Disclaimer: Invitations By Dawn provided me with a self-inking address stamp for this giveaway. The opinions expressed in this blog post are my own. I was in no way financially compensated by Invitations By Dawn for this review.

Flash Giveaway: Hormel Country Crock Side Dishes!

The Hormel food company has graciously provided a giveaway of four free product coupons for their Country Crock Side Dishes I recently reviewed, which will be awarded to one winner (ARV $20.00)!

The Southern Fried Husband and I had the opportunity to try four different Country Crock side dish offerings and we both loved the full flavor in each variety we tried. We loved the speed of preparation in each of the varieties we tried, which allowed us more time together at dinner time instead of me spending extra time preparing each dish.  Our favorites are the loaded mashed potatoes and the cheddar broccoli rice.

Winner will receive four Hormel Country Crock Side Dish coupons (ARV $20.00) to choose the varieties you want at your favorite local grocery store. To see all of the 10 side dish varieties offered, you can view them on the Hormel website here.

This is my first flash giveaway. Entries will close tonight at 10:00 p.m. EST. To enter, leave a comment below and please include your e-mail address so I can contact you if you are chosen as the winner. Good luck!

Hormel's Country Crock Side Dish Challenge

I was recently given the opportunity to take part in Hormel's Country Crock Side Dish Challenge. To lighten up dinnertime in the new year, I chose boneless, skinless turkey breasts for the meat. I then went to my local grocery store and looked at the line of Country Crock side dishes and chose two of the side dishes for my meal: elbow macaroni and cheese and garlic mashed potatoes.

I chose these two because I enjoy preparing both of these at home, but I prepare themon occasions when I have the time to devote to the preparation involved to make a good dish. When you combine both of them in one sitting, then double the amount of time involved in the kitchen.

According to the Hormel website, Country Crock Side Dishes are traditionally time-consuming side dishes like mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and broccoli cheddar rice that can be hot and ready in just five minutes.

I could not get over the creamy and moist texture of this elbow macaroni and cheese straight out of the container.

You have the option of preparing it either on the stovetop or microwave. I chose to try the microwave preparation method. In 5 minutes, it came out of the microwave hot, creamy and such a cheesy flavor.

I liked the texture of the garlic mashed potatoes when I opened the container to prepare it for the microwave. In 5 minutes, I had hot and whipped texture garlic mashed potatoes that had a full flavor.

I saved so much time in dinner preparation. The time I would have traditionally devoted to side dish preparation, I was able to spend visiting with my husband. I prepared the turkey breast cutlets with a light recipe:

"Light Turkey Cutlets"

2 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless turkey cutlets

1/2 cup turkey stock

Coat a 10" non-stick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add turkey cutlets. Cook the turkey for 2 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 2 minutes.Reduce heat to medium. Slowly add turkey stock. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the turkey is no longer pink in the center. Check by inserting the tip of a sharp knife into the center of 1 cutlet. 

 

We enjoyed our dinner and our extra time to visit because of the ease and convenience of  Country Crock Side Dishes and we look forward to incorporating their other side dishes offerings into our meals. For more information on Hormel Country Crock Side Dishes, go to their website here.

FTC Disclaimer: I received a $25 stipend to purchase meat and four free Country Crock side dishes for this review. The opinions expressed in this blog post are my own.

Recipe Corner: "The Southern Fried Bride's Half Moon Layer Cake"

I had so much fun when I recently delved into creating a recipe that was an homage to one of my favorite Southern treats: banana MoonPies. My "Half Moon Layer Cake" is another of my tributes to his time-honored treat. I quested to create a cake that channels the classic banana MoonPie ingredients of marshmallow, graham cracker and banana. This cake has The Southern Fried Husband's Official Seal of Approval. He took the first bite and his response was "Wow!". This would make a wonderful celebration cake for all of life's special moments.    

"The Southern Fried Bride's Half Moon Layer Cake"

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon banana extract

3 large eggs

2 medium bananas, mashed

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour


1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. In large bowl, add flour and baking powder. Combine well and set aside. In separate large bowl, beat softened butter with mixer until light and creamy. Gradually add sugar, a small amount at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl before each addition. Beat for about 1 minute after each addition. Add banana extract to mixture. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping sides of the bowl. Add bananas and mix until well-combined. Slowly add flour mixture in thirds to creamed mixture. Beat on low speed until blended. Spoon batter into baking pans, spreading evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick in center of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. As cake cools, prepare frosting.

"Half Moon Marshmallow Frosting"

1 1/3 cups butter, softened


1 (7 oz.) container marshmallow creme

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2  teaspoons milk

2 2/3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup crushed graham crackers

Blend butter and marshmallow creme together until well-blended. Add vanilla extract and blend until combined. Add powdered sugar and mix 6-7 minutes until smooth and creamy. If thinner frosting is desired, add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of milk to mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. Stir in crushed graham crackers. Frost cooled cake. Enjoy!

Something Good on Friday the 13th! Giveaway winner announced!

I purposely scheduled my giveaway winner to be announced on Friday the 13th because I, for one, believe in good things happening on this day! What a wonderful response to this giveaway!

My New Year's Giveaway winner will receive this Chex Mix prize pack just like the one I received, with a $20 VISA gift card, 2 boxes of Chex cereal, 10 of the cutest takeout box containers and five Chex Mix recipes for inspiration.

The winning comment number chosen by random number generator was comment #20:

"Liz Jan 9, 2012 07:31 PM

Not just a Facebook fan, a devotee!"

The winner is..Liz Groff!

Congratulations Liz! Please e-mail me your mailing address and your prize pack will be on the way!

The winning comment was an extra entry Liz received for being a fan of "The Southern Fried Bride on Facebook, where I celebrated my 3,000 fan milestone this past week. Are YOU a fan?

Thank you to everyone who entered and be watching for my upcoming Valentine's Giveaway!

Disclosure: The Chex Party Mix-Change product, information, and giveaway have been provided by Chex through MyBlogSpark.

A New Year's Giveaway! Chex Mix Party Pack

I had a wonderful time taking part in the 2011 Chex Mix-Change this holiday season. I had so much fun creating a new recipe I recently shared with you here for my "Half Moon Chex Mix". 
Now that 2012 is here, I am happy to announce that I will be starting the new year with a Chex Mix Party Pack Giveaway for one of you!

The winner will receive a prize pack with a $20 gift card perfect for purchasing recipe ingredients, 2 boxes of Chex cereal, 10 takeout containers and five Chex Mix recipes for inspiration.

To enter, leave a comment below and let me know if you have a New Year's resolution this year, or if you don't have one.

Bonus Entry: Leave a separate comment.
* Become a fan of "The Southern Fried Bride" Facebook page here, then leave a comment letting me know you are a new fan. If you are already a fan, leave a comment letting me know.

Entries will close this Thursday, January 12 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be chosen by random number generator and announced on the blog and  "The Southern Fried Bride" Facebook page this Friday, January 13 at 10:00 am EST. Good luck!
Disclosure: The Chex Party Mix-Change product, information, and giveaway have been provided by Chex through MyBlogSpark.

Happy 2012! New Year's Review and a Recipe: Browning's Country Bacon

Happy New Year from New York! My husband Craig and I had a wonderful time last week visiting family and friends in my home state of Oklahoma. It was so good coming home. We went way down in the holler to celebrate an Old-Fashioned Country Christmas with family, no cell phone or internet while we were in the holler. It was way too short of a visit, and we can't wait to go back again. When we drove past the "Mulebarn and Social Club" on Highway 10, I knew I was home!

New Year's Eve, there were no airport delays whatsoever on our flights back to New York. Talk about happiness in the new year, and the word "bacon" certainly comes to mind. Recently, Browning's Country Ham in Kentucky sent me some wonderful country bacon to cook with in my kitchen.

I created this breakfast casserole recipe with some lightened-up ingredients to start the new year off right. Instead of using potatoes or regular sandwich bread, I love the texture of light English muffins. I am a big fan of Old Bay seasoning and the flavor kick it can give dishes. If you do not have any Old Bay seasoning, you can substitute one teaspoon of paprika and as always, the regular versions of the ingredients will work fine in the recipe.

My husband and I loved the fact that this bacon freezes well and maintains such delicious flavor after being frozen. You can find more information about Browning's country bacon and their other products on their website here .

The Southern Fried Husband and I wish you and your loved ones a Blessed and Happy 2012!

"The Southern Fried Bride's Sunshine Casserole"

•1 package 6-count light English muffins, sliced and cubed

•2 cups reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese

•1 pound Browning's Country Bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

•8 Eggland's Best eggs, beaten

•2 cups skim milk

•1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Slice English muffins into cubes and place evenly in baking dish. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese over mixture. Sprinkle bacon over mixture. In medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk and seasoning. Pour over mixture. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of cheese over mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 45-50 minutes until top is lightly browned. Cut into squares to serve. Enjoy!

FTC Disclaimer: Browning's Country Ham provided me with a 2 lb. package of their Country Bacon for the purpose of my honest review. The opinions expressed in this blog post are my own. I was in no way financially compensated by Browning's Country Ham for this review.